Chapter 31
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: A Desperate Duel
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“…Damn it.”
Dianal, who had been training alone, scowled and let his sword drop to the ground.
He had been practicing his swordsmanship relentlessly, but…
*This isn't it.*
A stifling frustration welled in his chest from the lack of progress.
It felt as if he couldn't find a breakthrough.
But just then.
“…?”
In the distance, he saw Demian running off somewhere.
Dianal watched him.
“That guy…”
Judging by the direction, it was that place again.
The place he went to every night.
This time, he seemed to be carrying a bundle of things.
“…”
Dianal stared blankly in the direction Demian had gone.
Then, he suddenly recalled a conversation he'd had with a guy from the Erkal Garrison.
The guy had mentioned how Demian had put on a rather impressive performance during the search operation in the Bronserian Forest.
Mulling over those words, Dianal let out a small sigh.
“What have I got to lose…?”
Dianal started walking in the direction Demian had gone.
* * *
Focus, focus, focus…!
Demian struggled to grasp the mana swirling within his body.
Before he knew it, sweat trickling from his forehead ran down his cheek, collected at the tip of his chin, and dripped to the ground.
His shirt was soaked with sweat, and his lips were gradually turning blue.
As time passed, Demian's body began to tremble slightly.
His skin grew pale, and the amount of sweat increased.
How much time had passed?
It felt like three or four hours had gone by.
*Shhh.*
Demian slowly opened his eyes.
“…Hah.”
Exhaling softly, Demian looked up at the sky.
His mind felt clear, and the world seemed a little sharper.
Demian let out a hollow laugh at the encroaching darkness as the sun slowly set.
“How many hours was that?”
He had started the mana cultivation method before noon.
Judging by the time, he must have been cultivating for at least five or six hours.
Demian immediately checked the mana accumulated in his Mana Hall.
It was filled to the brim, with no space left.
*More than I thought…*
The elixir Basel had given him contained a vast amount of condensed mana.
But what was a little disappointing was…
*My Mana Hall is too small to absorb all the mana.*
Demian frowned.
The saving grace was that some of the elixir's mana remained in his body.
Of course, it would dissipate over time, but…
*I need to quickly expand my Mana Hall and absorb it all.*
He couldn't let this precious mana go to waste.
And it was then.
“What kind of meditation takes that long?”
“…?”
Demian turned his head toward the sound.
There sat Dianal, his sword stuck in the ground beside him.
He had been so focused on his mana cultivation that he hadn't even noticed someone was there.
*I need to be more careful.*
He chided himself.
Demian feigned composure and asked Dianal.
“What brings you here?”
“You sneak out every night, how could I not know? And I saw you pass by earlier.”
“…”
Demian scratched his head.
It wasn't like he was trying to hide it, so it didn't really matter.
“Have you been waiting all this time?”
“Yeah. I didn't want to interrupt you.”
Dianal replied.
As Demian gave a small smile, Dianal asked.
“I heard you killed quite a few mana-poisoned orcs during the search operation?”
“…Yes.”
*Where did he hear that?*
But as if reading Demian's mind, Dianal continued.
“I know a guy in the garrison. He told me you did some amazing work.”
“Aren't we on bad terms with the garrison?”
“Still, some guys keep a line of communication open. It comes in handy sometimes.”
Dianal stood up, pulling the sword he had planted in the ground.
Then he said.
“Demian, can you fight me with all you've got?”
“…Excuse me?”
*What kind of nonsense is this?*
Fighting between unit members was forbidden.
Let alone an all-out fight?
Demian looked at Dianal.
His eyes were dead serious.
No, they were filled with desperation.
In response, Demian's expression turned serious as well.
*…This guy.*
Demian could tell.
Dianal was being sincere.
In his past life, Demian had been the closest to him.
He could tell just by looking at his face.
But what caught Demian's attention even more was…
*…He's hit a wall.*
The anxious look on his face.
Demian asked Dianal.
“How long has it been?”
“What?”
“How long have you been stuck?”
“…!”
Dianal's eyes widened.
He flinched as if his innermost thoughts had been exposed.
*Gulp.*
He bit his lip hard. But soon after.
“…Hah. A while now. About three months?”
He confessed to Demian.
“It feels like I've hit a wall, and my skills aren't improving. I keep training on my own, but it just feels like I'm running in place.”
Demian nodded at Dianal's words.
That feeling.
*I know it all too well.*
The helplessness you feel when you hit a wall.
If it goes on for too long, a sense of impatience and even fear can set in.
And if you don't get proper training or guidance at that point, you can stagnate for a very long time.
*I was like that once, too.*
That's why he knew.
The best way to break through this situation.
“I can help, but the other unit members won't just stand by if they find out, will they?”
“Then we just don't get caught.”
“Hehehehe.”
*This guy, he's my kind of person.*
Demian burst out laughing and stood up. Gripping his spear, he said.
“You could get seriously hurt.”
“I'm counting on it. But I won't go down easy.”
Dianal raised his sword.
His expression was utterly serious.
Looking at him, Demian said.
“Then, come at me.”
At the same time, Dianal charged at Demian.
* * *
Tarone and Aaron were on their way back from meeting with the Erkal Garrison.
They had just had a meeting about the upcoming subjugation.
“…Hah, this subjugation. It's going to be tough.”
“We still have to do it. If this subjugation goes well, it'll be a great help to us in the future.”
The two conversed, mulling over the contents of the meeting. But just then.
“…Hm?”
Aaron stopped in his tracks.
He had heard the clash of weapons coming from somewhere.
“What's that sound?”
“…Over there.”
Tarone and Aaron headed toward the back of the unit's area.
And there they saw two people.
“Dianal? Demian?”
They seemed to be sparring.
Tarone and Aaron watched with slightly surprised expressions.
The two were sparring more intensely than they had expected.
Soon after, Aaron frowned.
“How dare they…!”
Unauthorized sparring between unit members was forbidden.
Aaron took a step to stop them. No, the moment he lifted his foot.
“Leave them be.”
“…Sir?”
Tarone stopped Aaron.
Aaron, with a surprised look, said to Tarone.
“Leave them be?”
“Yes.”
Tarone looked at Dianal.
He was the only one who did personal training alone after every session.
Tarone knew how hard he was trying to become stronger.
And he also knew that he had hit a plateau.
“…”
But Tarone couldn't help him.
He didn't have the ability to help.
Besides, how desperate must Dianal have been to ask a newcomer for help?
Especially a guy who knew he would be disciplined if he got caught sparring.
Tarone said.
“…We'll just watch for now.”
“But, Captain. Still…”
*Ssk.*
Tarone glanced at Aaron.
At his silent gaze, Aaron let out a small sigh.
“Understood.”
Hearing that, Tarone turned his gaze back to Demian, who was fighting Dianal.
*That guy…*
Dianal was one of the more skilled members of the Neokalitz Unit.
While everyone else had stagnated, he alone was still pushing forward.
But this spar.
“…Hmph.”
Wasn't the skill gap a bit too wide?
After watching Demian's movements, Tarone soon turned away with Aaron.
* * *
*Vwoosh!*
A harsh sound of cutting through the air.
Dianal's sword sliced through empty air.
He'd lost count of how many times he had attacked.
But not once had he managed to even touch Demian.
*Damn it…!*
Dianal scowled.
What the hell?
What's going on?
*It feels like he already knows where I'm going to attack.*
Dianal saw it.
Before he even swung his sword, the guy was already moving to evade.
*How is that possible?*
The weapon Dianal used was a greatsword, characterized by its weight.
Thus, its destructive power in a single blow was immense.
However, its weight made it practically impossible to change its trajectory mid-swing.
Therefore, his sword paths were bound to be simple.
*Vwoosh!*
As his sword cut through the air again, Dianal bit his lip hard.
Demian, having lightly stepped back, watched Dianal.
His grip on the sword was good, and his movements were concise.
And he also knew why the guy used such a heavy sword.
The Neokalitz Unit mostly fought monsters.
So, his choice was imbued with the will to kill monsters with a single powerful blow.
*He definitely has talent.*
To be able to handle a sword that didn't suit him this well.
Demian observed Dianal's body more closely.
The muscular strength he had built to wield the heavy sword freely.
His lower body and core strength were particularly impressive. But…
*His balance is off.*
The strength-focused training to handle the heavy sword was actually ruining him.
In a case like this.
*Words won't convince him.*
The only way is to make him feel it for himself.
To do that, there was only one thing.
Demian gripped his spear.
*This would have been a bit much before, but…*
With the mana I gained from the elixir just now, it's worth a try.
Having made his decision, Demian planted his feet firmly on the ground and raised his spear.
The moment his gripped spear pointed forward.
*He's changed…!*
Dianal swallowed hard, feeling a sudden pressure weighing down on his entire body.
Unlike when he was evading, the guy's eyes had changed.
But still.
*He's not dodging.*
In terms of attack power, I have the upper hand.
There's no reason to avoid a head-on clash.
“Hyaaaaaah!”
Dianal shouted as he stomped hard on the ground.
*Swiiish!*
A fierce blow, as if tearing through the air, rushed toward Demian.
“You'll get seriously hurt if you don't dodge!”
“…You worry too much.”
In that instant, Demian drew up his mana and infused it into the tip of his spear.
Then, he looked at Dianal's sword.
Its movements were clearer than before.
Without a hint of hesitation, Demian swung his spear.
*Clang!*
*Whirrrrr!*
Something shot into the sky, spinning rapidly.
*Thud!*
The severed blade fell to the ground.
Dianal's sword had been snapped in half.
“Huh, h-huh?!”
Dianal was shocked that his sword had broken.
“Th-this is an expensive sword!”
It wasn't standard issue; Dianal had it custom-made.
Broken like this, it was impossible to repair.
“Aaaaaargh!”
Dianal's face was a mask of despair.
He couldn't go on missions without a weapon. But just then.
“Private First Class Dianal, try coming at me again just like that.”
“…What?”
“I'm telling you to attack again.”
It was a sword shortened by half.
*What am I supposed to do with a sword like this?*
Dianal sighed. However…
*It's not over yet.*
He couldn't just give up if his sword broke in a real battle.
At Demian's words, Dianal charged again, swinging his sword.
And…
“…Huh?”
Dianal's eyes began to tremble violently.